Earlier this year we tested the hardware products and now it is the turn of the software firewall. We asked six top vendors to provide products that deliver firewall protection to the enterprise network.

The hardware alternatives offer one distinct advantage as these appliances come complete with processor, memory and embedded operating system which provides intrusion detection and prevention straight from the box.

As you will have to source the hardware yourself, the soft alternative costs less but takes longer to set up. Whereas all hardware firewalls offer similar features, we found more variety and methods of operation in the software, which means it is even more important to do your research before you buy.

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